


Careless affection hit me hard

by schrijverr



Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Blushing, Established Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, Other, Pet Names, Pining, Soft Jonny d'Ville, The Moon War, affection starved, but tim and bertie already have an
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28181610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schrijverr/pseuds/schrijverr
Summary: Five times Bertie calls Jonny ‘love’ in the British way and one time in the in love way.AKA Jonny is a gay disaster and gets overwhelmed by any sort of affection.
Relationships: Bertie/Jonny d'Ville/Gunpowder Tim
Comments: 18
Kudos: 97





	Careless affection hit me hard

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find this work on my tumblr, which is @schrijverr as well. Hope you pop in and say hi, because I'd love to talk to y'all!! :D

**One.**

Jonny was rummaging through Berties pack. He was planning to steal some booze and didn’t really care the the owner of said pack was looking right at him while he did it with one eyebrow raised and an amused look on his face. 

Bertie shook his head when Jonny went on with stealing and sighed: “While you’re going through there, could you at least hand me the cards, love?”

And just like that Jonny froze.

He knew Bertie didn’t mean it like that, he’d heard him call Tim darlin’ enough for him to spot the difference in tone. Bertie was just British, he couldn't help it, probably.

But still that didn’t mean, Jonny didn’t freeze. His one hand was still in the pack, other halfway to the ground where he was about to steady himself.

Jonny only came back to life when he almost toppled over, barely catching himself and getting the attention from Bertie, Tim and TS, who were waiting on him.

“You alright there, mate?” Tim called out.

Trying to hide his furious blush, Jonny turned away, focusing on getting the cards, booze long forgotten as he replied: “I’m fine.”

**Two.**

The first time it had happened was still playing heavily on Jonnys mind, when the second time almost killed them all. 

They were in a trench shooting in the dark, hoping that the aiming at the noises would enough to make it through the day. Jonny was, much to his dismay, on laser fuel duty, which meant keeping his hand in a crate so that he could quickly hand over ammunition and no one had stumble around in the pitch blackness.

Bertie made the sign for more ammunition and Jonny quickly handed it over, making a small noise so Bertie would know where he was.

After a bit of groping the air, Bertie found Jonnys arm. He slid his hand down to Jonnys and took the fuel with a quick: “Ah, thanks, love.”

Because of this Jonny missed The Toy Soldiers request, but luckily it would survive, well come back from, the hit in the head that followed and by the time Tim asked for fuel, Jonny was out of his stupor.

**Three.**

It happened again a few days later. 

The Toy Soldier had heard a stupid order and, in a moment of irritation, Jonny had followed after it to tell it to come back. However, he had lost The Toy Soldier rather quickly and also the way back in the dark.

He had been trying to get back to the British front lines for a few hours already and in that time he had only found a Lunar Men stronghold. It had been a nice temporary distraction, but whatever was left hadn’t given him any clues about his position.

So, now he was just walking in a direction and hoping it was the right one. He was about halfway into a new passage when he heard a familiar voice say: “We’re not going to find them, Bertie-dear. Lets go back. You know how those two idiots can be, they’ll come back when they want to.”

“I am worried, darlin’.” another familiar voice replied, “ _Because_ I know how much of an idiot those two can be.”

Jonny wasn’t going to let that slide, so he called out: “Oi, I heard that, fucker.”

There was a momentary silence of surprise, then Tim exclaimed: “Jonny!”

The two soldiers rushed over to his voice and with a dim flashlight Bertie checked him over for injuries. When he found none, he grinned and patted Jonnys cheek: “There you go, love, all alright.”

If there hadn’t been a dim light the heat alone would have been enough to give away how much Jonny blushed at that statement. He cleared his throat and groused: “Yeah, yeah, I’m always alright, so whatever. There’s, well, there was a Lunar Men stronghold further up, we should go inform the sarge of that.”

Jonny didn’t miss Tims grin as he slung an arm around his shoulder and pulled him along while he said: “Whatever you say, Jonny.”

**Four.**

He thought he would be over it by the fourth time it happened, but no. 

They were playing cards when Jonny slipped one out of his hand and into his sleeve replacing it with another. With a winning smile he showed his hand and started to collect his prize. However, another hand on his own stopped him.

“Oh, you’re going to regret that, love.” Bertie told him, looking him straight in the eye.

Jonny almost fainted at the sight and sound, but he managed to swallow around the sudden lump in his throat and focused on whatever it was Bertie was holding in front of him.

An ace of hearts.

Fuck, he thought to himself, that had been the exact card he had switched in order to cheat. Caught in the act, red handed.

Tims stupidly handsome face appeared in his view, with an annoy smirk on it. He jeered: “You going to move, or is Berties hand that interesting?”

“What?” Jonny asked, finally blinking.

“You’ve been sitting there staring for a while now.” Bertie told him gently, “I was getting worried about you.”

Tim leaned over Berties lap and rolled his eyes: “You worry to much, Bertie-dear. Lighten up a bit, the fucker has survived this far, little card game won’t kill him. Besides, he still needs to pay up.”

“He’s Quite Right, Ol’ Chap.” The Toy Soldier interjected, “Mx. O’Reilly Would Be Very Disappointed In That Horrifying Display Of Cheatery.”

“Sometimes, TS, I really wish you would keep you’re mouth shut, you know that?” Jonny told it, swiftly ignoring Tim, whose hair Bertie was now carding his hand through. He didn’t know who he was more jealous of and the fact that he was made him nervous.

Apparently that wouldn't sit right with Tim, Jonny suspected this was more due to the fact that Bertie shared everything with Tim, so him not paying up also affected Tim then anything else, but still.

Tim sat up and draped himself over Jonny as he told him: “Go on, be a _dear_ and pay up, Jonny.”

He put an emphasis on dear and with one look to his face Jonny knew Tim must have noticed his reactions to the petnames, unintentional as they were. It didn’t help his case that his cheeks lit up once more, so he just shoved Tim off him with a “Piss off,” before handing Bertie the booze they had been betting.

**Five.**

When it happened again, Jonny knew that this time it was on purpose. It wasn’t hard to figure that one out.

The accidental endearments had stopped after the cards-incident and Jonny was already missing them, which he kind of hated himself for. Tim and Bertie were happy together and he was just being stupid over nothing.

Anyway, back to Bertie. Jonny had been waiting for another accidental ‘love’ out of Berties mouth and desperately trying to ignore Tims looks as well as the growing nervousness in his chest as if he were a blushing school girl.

It happened again in a well lit area and Bertie was watching him intently the whole time, which is how Jonny had gathered it was on purpose, making a pit appear in his stomach.

He had almost fallen over, since he wasn’t looking where he was going too busy keeping an eye on Tim, scared of what he might do with the information Jonny knew he had.

Bertie luckily caught him before he befriended the floor and made a fool out of himself. He looked Jonny in the eye earnestly and asked: “You alright, love?”

The effect was immediate, much to Jonnys horror. His cheeks turned into roses, and it crept over his nose, down to his neck as he stuttered an affirmation.

All the while, Bertie was cataloging his reactions like he was merely an interesting animal at the zoo instead of a soldier in a very dangerous situation, namely on the brink of being found out about his stupid feelings that he didn’t want anyone to know about.

He saw Bertie take a breath, probably to let him down gently and Jonny didn’t want to hear it, he couldn't take it. So he snatched his arm back out of Berties grip and hightailed out of there.

“Well that went shit.” he heard Tim say in the background, making him increase his pace.

**\+ One.**

The problem with dramatically stomping away in a small war camp is that there aren’t many places to go and if he wanted a comfortable place to sleep, he would have to face Tim and Bertie once more.

He’d contemplated to just leave and try to find The Toy Soldier, who had gotten lost again to the other side, but thought better of it. He couldn't leave Bertie and Tim without his protection.

So, after he had sulked alone and had come to terms to the embarrassing rejection he would have to face eventually, he made his way back to their tent.

Tim and Bertie were already sitting in front of it and Tim lit up once he saw him and waved. Bertie perked up as well and smiled and waved too. Embarrassed and confused Jonny waved back softly, before making his way over.

Arriving he looked to the ground and scuffed his foot in the moon sand, biting his lip as he waited for the verbal impact of words slung his way.

“I didn’t mean to make you upset or uncomfortable, I swear.” Bertie began after a few seconds of silence.

Jonny head snapped up with a frown and he said: “I was going to say that.”

“What, why?” Bertie asked.

Beside him Tim facepalmed and groaned: “I thought I explained that to you. God, you are both so stupid.”

“Hey!” Jonny exclaimed indignantly, jabs from Tim were at least more familiar territory.

“Not helping, Tim, this is exactly why I am doing the talking.” Bertie told him, then he turned to Jonny, “Just ignore him. What I _meant_ to ask is: why you would say that?”

“Why do you want to know?” Jonny asked, suspicious the moment he realized the other two had planned this conversation, even if that shouldn’t really come as a surprise seeing that they were together and had discovered he was crushing on them.

“Because you didn’t do anything to make us- uhm, me uncomfortable and if the reason is what we expect it is then I can tell you it’s alright.” Bertie explained gently.

“What reason do you expect?” Jonny asked, still on guard, since he suspected the something they suspected, but that seemed insane and out of reach.

“Well,” Bertie began carefully, “if I am correct, and do tell me if I’m not, but if I am correct it would seem that the logical conclusion from the evidence is that-”

“Oh my god, just hurry the fuck up. Ugh!” Tim groaned, “We think you like him and maybe even me or you have the most serious case of touch starvation I have ever seen and then I will give you a hug right now, in both cases actually.”

Jonnys eyes grew wide, both were dead on. Was he really that easy to read? He wondered faintly, before the blood rushing to his head took over and all he could say was: “Ah- uh- oh- uhm- yeah- well- you see- uhm. Yes?”

“Yes?” Bertie asked.

“Uhm, yes, to- to both- or all, I guess?” Jonny stammered once he had regained a bit more coherency.

“Oh, come here, love.” the tone was different, Jonny heard instantly how it sounded more like Tims darlin’ than before. Bertie held his arms open and Jonny just collapsed in them. It seemed almost unreal that this was where this whole debacle had lead, right to the safety of strong arms and a soothing hand on his back.

He felt Tim draping himself over his back, before he whispered in his ear: “I knew you cared, sweetheart.”

The blush on Jonnys face increased in heat once more, but he didn’t deny it. Why would he, when he knew Tim and Bertie cared too?

**Author's Note:**

> Let Jonny be dumb and gay and affection-starved, oh wait he already is lol
> 
> The idea of Bertie calling Jonny love the British way came from _@ohwormhere_ and she is 100% responsible for this beautiful idea, so shout out! Thank you for allowing me to use your idea :D
> 
> And I know Tim was hardly there, but you can’t have Jonny and Bertie without Tim, it’s just wrong, so he is still there because I want to.
> 
> Also, Tim is a draper, he will drape on you if he wants to and you cannot stop him. Accept the drape.
> 
> Comments make my day and Kudos are awesome, so thank uu so much for leaving them if you did! <3


End file.
